Understanding Pedagogical Content Knowledge in English Language Teaching: The Role of Experience and Institutional Context

Abstract

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is widely recognized as a critical component of teacher expertise, reflecting the integration of subject matter and pedagogy in effective instruction. This study aimed to examine the level and structure of PCK among senior high school English teachers in Jilin Province, China, and to investigate differences across teaching experience, school location, school type, and academic degree. Grounded in established literature on teacher knowledge, the study adopted a quantitative cross-sectional survey design involving 400 teachers selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire measuring pedagogical knowledge (PK), content knowledge (CK), and PCK, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and repeated-measures ANOVA. The findings revealed that teachers’ PCK levels were moderate to moderately high, with significant differences across teaching experience, school location, and school type, but not academic degree. A hierarchical relationship among PK, CK, and PCK was also identified, supporting the integrative nature of teacher knowledge. These results highlight the importance of experiential learning and contextual support in teacher development. The study contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 by providing evidence to inform equitable teacher professional development and enhance instructional quality in diverse educational settings.